Sins of Remorse
by Rogue31
Summary: Set after the events of the movie, Van Helsing finds out the reason why the end came so soon to one he cared for. SPOILER for those who haven't seen the movie or read the book!


Author: Rogue31  
  
Disclaimer: No profits are made form this. Characters belong to Stephan Sommers.  
  
Summary: After the events of the movie, Van Helsing finds the reason why Anna really died. (Fiction better then summary).  
  
Title: Sins of Remorse  
  
Van Helsing and Carl had returned to Rome. Though he should have felt content with the slaying of Count Dracula, a vampire that had lived on for centuries defeating all who opposed him and had planned on unleashing his demon children onto the world, the left hand man of God felt empty inside.   
  
Actually he felt remorse of the lose of the only woman, that his memories knew of, that he loved. By his own hand, or rather, his own claw he had taken the life of someone he cared so much for, yet knew so little of.   
  
The thoughts had consumed his mind the entire journey back to Rome. He had hoped for some comfort in the proper burial he had given her, but that was cold comfort. From that night and on a new nightmare came before him, he saw her death so many different ways and so many times he had been the reaper of those deaths.   
  
Van Helsing hoped he could confess to Cardinal Jinette and feel some release by that but he knew he wouldn't.   
  
The pair had rode to St. Peter's church. There they had taken care of their horses and walked into the beautiful church. Side by side they walked until they came deeper into the interior and Van Helsing disappeared into an ornate confessional while Carl continued down to the armory, wanting to loose himself in his work.  
  
Van Helsing dropped to his knees, "Bless me Father, for I have sinned," he began.  
  
"Van Helsing, you come back from Transylvania, defeat Count Dracula and save a town, a whole world from his wrath yet you still feel you have sinned for the destruction of that monster that made a pact with the devil?" Cardinal Jinette asked, looking through the partition at the man.  
  
"No," Van Helsing began dangerously. "In the form of a werewolf I killed the princess, Anna."  
  
"Yes, well I heard that."  
  
"Then why did you think for one moment that I was here to be forgiven of Dracula?" Van Helsing threatened.  
  
"You gave her a burial, yes? That I assumed would have given you comfort in her death. Besides, you were a werewolf at the time, what control did you have?"  
  
"More than I thought," Van Helsing muttered.  
  
"What was starting between you and the princess would not please God." Cardinal Jinette spoke as if the death of the princess seemed not to be important.   
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Any sort of relationship you would or could have would divert you from your duties with God. Besides, you are practically immortal, when your mortal love would die you would be useless to God's work." Cardinal Jinette had heard of Gabriel Van Helsing's calling from God. His identity was recovered from Transylvania.  
  
Now it seemed to become clear. While in his werewolf form Van Helsing was practically in control the whole time, except for his moment when he attacked and killed Anna. "You mean to tell me that God chose Anna's death because we had feelings for each other?" By now Van Helsing was on his feet, he would not sit for this any longer. His insides were on fire, full of rage.  
  
"A man of God needs no distractions. Anna has joined her family in heaven, if not she'd be alone with no destiny to fore fill."  
  
"What type of God chooses the rest of someone's life for them? People can find a new life, new relationships and a new destiny. And how can you be certain she would not have come with me to help me with my work?"  
  
"Gabriel, you must be calm. It is every day that God chooses when someone dies, Anna was no different."  
  
"Well if a life can be so meaningless, I suppose my work with God and with the Order are through." Van Helsing said, leaving the ornate confessional.  
  
Before Cardinal Jinette could stop him, like he had before Van Helsing went to Transylvania, Van Helsing had exited the small room and was heading out the church doors.   
  
"Van Helsing, wait," he called after him. Van Helsing stopped and turned to face Cardinal Jinette.  
  
"I do not take orders anymore," Van Helsing said, about to turn foot and head out again.  
  
"We can talk of this, please. Do not leave."   
  
Van Helsing approached the smaller man, eyes staring down into his. "If my sins are disciplined then so be it, but since Anna was punished for the so called sins I had caused then the hell with God and the Order." About to leave again, he was stopped by Cardinal Jinette's hand gripping his sleeve.  
  
"Wait, come with me. You will see something that might help."  
  
Cardinal Jinette started for one of the back rooms of the church where only priests entered, hesitantly Van Helsing followed.   
  
Inside Van Helsing saw a small but rather high room. The room was lightened by stained glass windows. "Come," Cardinal Jinette called.  
  
Van Helsing approached, seeing a small pool of water. "This pool is used as a doorway between the living and the dead. I will give you a moment to speak with Anna to see that she is happy in heaven." Cardinal Jinette said, about to leave the room, but stopped when Van Helsing spoke.  
  
"No one is ever happy to die, except for the tortured souls. Anna saw the brighter side of death but she never longed for it." Van Helsing corrected, becoming annoyed with Cardinal Jinette's ignorance of human life. With that he left Van Helsing alone.  
  
He looked into the water, seeing nothing at first but then to his delight he saw a reflection of Anna in the water. "Anna, can you hear me?" he asked.  
  
She smiled at seeing his face. "Yes, how have you been Mr. Van Helsing?" she asked, somewhat sarcastic.  
  
"It's good to see you haven't lost your sense of humor. But I must ask you, are you content in heaven?" he asked.  
  
Again a delighted look covered her face. "I am with my family," she said, simply.  
  
"That's not what I asked." She turned away from his view.  
  
A brief pause followed and Van Helsing spoke again. "Anna…"  
  
She looked at him again. "I had hoped to have lived a fuller, longer life, but the accomplishment I was apart of was enough to satisfy me in Transylvania."  
  
He knew it, though she looked to the positive side of her the event that caused her death, she had wanted to live longer. Maybe alone without her family but there were other people in the world.  
  
"Anna, I promise you, I will find a way to make this right."  
  
"You already have," she said, tear falling from her face, then she was gone and he was without her again.  
  
At that moment Cardinal Jinette came into the room again. "You see," he was about to start but Van Helsing cut him off.  
  
"No, what you see is a woman that's life was taken because of me and my affections towards her. You talk of how important life is and how people are precious, yet in a single moment a decision for my 'benefit' decides the fate of a woman that had so much to live for. If God cannot correct His mistake then I shall not serve Him anymore. You can condemn me to hell for all eternity but I will not lift one more finger to help God and the Order if He does not correct the wrong He made."  
  
Van Helsing stood tall, he would stand by his choice, it was the least he could do to give Anna a second chance at a stolen life. He would suffer the consequences if this arrangement didn't pan through.  
  
Cardinal Jinette was silent for a moment then had Van Helsing leave the room so he could speak with God.   
  
Van Helsing paced, he didn't want to live forever in the depths of hell but he could not live if he had done nothing for Anna. So he waited, it was several minutes before Cardinal Jinette came out.  
  
"To right the fate of Anna Valerious God shall reincarnate her soul for a second life and when that one ends she will return to heaven as originally destined. In return you will serve God as you were intended to. Is that clear?"  
  
Van Helsing did not like the servitude but since this was his destiny and God had wronged the right he would serve Him like he had before this little matter. "Yes, Cardinal Jinette."  
  
"And one more thing, you are not to intervene with her new life. Just the knowledge of her existence is enough, I assume."  
  
Van Helsing nodded, somewhat grateful for this honor of reincarnation that so few got the pleasure of being apart of. "Good. Now…" He informed Van Helsing of his new task he was assigned to.   
  
As Van Helsing listened, he couldn't help but feel a load from his shoulders being lifted. Anna would be able to live a new life and maybe this time she would be able to see the ocean. He smiled as a tear trickled down his cheek at her memory.   
  
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I figured Anna got the crap kicked out of her by Dracula's brides throughout the whole movie and then Van Helsing jumps into her and she dies. It kinda seemed random, like she lived through so much then 'werewolf tackles her, she dies'. So I figured add a twist and give a different twist to why she died. (If you're still not clear about this fiction, God took over Van Helsing in his werewolf form and had him kill Anna so Van Helsing and Anna wouldn't have a relationship, since it might interfere with Van Helsing's duties.  
  
With the whole God took over when Van Helsing was a werewolf I put because when Anna's brother, Velkan, was in werewolf form he didn't have control and Van Helsing pretty much did since he attacked Dracula.  
  
I kind of took the fact that some priests cannot marry because it's a sin, so that's where I got this idea. Whether or not any of this is 'biblically correct' I don't care. It's a fanfiction with my own twists.   
  
Read and review, my first stab (and probably my only stab) at a Van Helsing fanfiction. Thanks for readin'! 


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